Trainers Ron Burke and Brian Brown both had a fantastic Super Night at Scioto Downs on Saturday (Sept. 8), despite the chilly conditions and non-stop pouring rain. A healthy crowd was on hand to witness $2.2 million in purses awarded to eight victorious Ohio-breds.
Burke took home three of the eight $275,000 Championships, beginning with Wittyville, a freshman Manofmanymissions colt, who is out of the SJs Photo mare Witty Girl, in the Two-Year-Old Colt Trot. Owned by Burke Racing, breeder Knox Services and Weaver Bruscemi, Wittyville picked up his second career win in six starts and upped his lifetime earnings to $176,010 courtesy of his 1:57 front-stepping victory. Leaving the gate at 10-1 odds, Wittyville and driver Chris Page bested second-place finisher 5-2 Lane of Stone (who was driven by Jeff Nisonger) by three and a half lengths, with another Burke trainee, 6-1 Dylan The Great (Matt Kakaley) notching show honours.
Baron Remy, pictured victorious during 2018 Ohio Sires Stakes Super Night (Conrad Photo)
Burke next harnessed the Yankee Cruiser filly Baron Remy to capture the $275,000 Three-Year-Old Filly Pace Championship in a healthy 1:52 as the 5-2 choice. Chris Page was in the sulky behind Baron Remy, who is out of the Shady Character mare Riley Character, and who was also on the front end the entire mile for owners Burke Racing, Silva, Purnell & Libby, L. Karr and Weaver Bruscemi. Bred by Baron Racing Stable, Baron Remy was two and a half lengths ahead of 25-1 longshot Believe In Waco (Aaron Merriman) at the wire, with 16-1 Smiley Dragon (Trace Tetrick) getting up for third. Baron Remy’s seasonal earnings now stand at $233,370 from three wins, five seconds and a third in 13 starts, while her career bankroll is a bulging $329,434 from six wins, five seconds and three thirds in 20 lifetime trips postward.
Impinktoo, pictured victorious during 2018 Ohio Sires Stakes Super Night (Conrad Photo)
Impinktoo gave Burke his third Championship crown when the Manofmanymissions-Margie Seelster-Angus Hall daughter cruised to a 1:55.4 clocking at 3-1 odds with Kayne Kauffman in the sulky. Owned by Billy Walters, Joe McLead and Rtk Racing, Impinktoo used come-from-behind tactics to get the job done, snaring her second win of the season and fifth lifetime victory after overtaking the leading 8-1 Spunky Bottom Girl (Tyler Smith), with 5-1 Sesame grabbing third with David Miller in the sulky. Bred by Jay Mossbarger, this latest triumph upped her career earnings to $276,185 and her 2018 account now stands at $209,145.
Only Take Cash, pictured victorious during 2018 Ohio Sires Stakes Super Night (Conrad Photo)
Canadian-based trainer and co-owner Robert McIntosh couldn’t have been happier when his Only Take Cash won the $275,000 Championship for two-year-old trotting fillies in 1:57. The daughter by Cash Hall-Armbro Affair-Garland Lobell got a perfect steer by Aaron Merriman, taking the lead at the quarter and never looking back to grab lifetime win seven in eight tries as the public’s favourite. Princess Of Pink (Tony Hall), a 36-1 longshot, was second, five and a half lengths back of the winner, while 17-1 Spirit Bell (Ryan Stahl) was third. Only Take Cash had won every Ohio Sires Stakes leg except for her first, when she finished a game second to Vivi D. The homebred’s career earnings now stand at $240,190 for owners McIntosh Stables, Dave Boyle and Mardon Stables of Ontario, Canada.
Queen Of Pride, pictured victorious during 2018 Ohio Sires Stakes Super Night (Conrad Photo)
Frank Chick’s travel to Ohio from Harrington, DE was well-worth the trip as his Queen Of The Pride captured the $275,000 Two-Year-Old Filly Pace in 1:54.2 as the 2-1 choice. Steered by Tony Hall for trainer Kevin Lare, the bay daughter of McArdle-Lioness Hanover-Western Ideal made every pole a winning one—pushing her lifetime earnings to $225,522. She was bred by Brad Wallace of Hickory Lane Farm fame. Carmen Ohio came from near last for Ryan Stahl to grab second at 20-1 odds, while 7-1 High Reward (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.) was third. Trainer Brian Brown trained both fillies, as well as fourth-place finisher, 21-1 choice Mi Nina Bonita (David Miller).
High On Paydaze, pictured victorious during 2018 Ohio Sires Stakes Super Night (Conrad Photo)
High On Paydaze seems to have a penchant for the slop, and Super Night was no different, as the Nob Hill High youngster cruised to a 1:53.2 clocking in the $275,000 Championship for two-year-old pacing colts. David Miller guided the 7-2 High On Paydaze, weaving his way through horses before prevailing at the end by a length over stablemate 7-5 Rock Candy (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.). It was a clean sweep for Brian Brown, who trains the homebred winner for owners Scott Hagemeyer, Robert Mondillo and Donald Robinson, as well as Rocky Candy and third-place finisher, 13-1 Dislocator (Chris Page), fourth-place finisher 6-1 Smackitwithahammer (Trace Tetrick) and fifth-place finisher 75-1 Tony Too Tall (Ryan Stahl). The victory was High On Paydaze’s fifth lifetime in six starts and pushed his earnings to $220,700. He had captured his first three Ohio Sires Stakes legs over similarly muddy surfaces but was third in Leg 4 over a dry track. The speedy bay colt is out of the The Panderosa broodmare Myell.
Two O B Wonkenobi, pictured victorious during 2018 Ohio Sires Stakes Super Night (Conrad Photo)
The stars aligned for a group of Indiana connections in the $275,000 Three-Year-Old Colt Trot Championship when 2-5 Two O B Wonkenobi scored in 1:56.3 for driver Ronnie Wrenn Jr. Owned by the Hoosier State-based partnership of Shara Weaver and Madeline Roche, the Dejarmbro gelding is conditioned by Indiana-based trainer Ernie Gaskin and was bred by Indiana breeding farm Pond-A-Acres. Two O B Wonkenobi was never headed throughout the one-mile test, staving off a late challenge by 5-1 Pass The Vape (Derek Watiker) and third-place finisher 14-1 Uncle Buck (Aaron Merriman). His seasonal bankroll stands tall at $245,545, while lifetime he’s amassed $275,565 from nine wins, six seconds and two thirds in 21 starts.
Lather Up, pictured victorious during 2018 Ohio Sires Stakes Super Night (Conrad Photo)
Last, but definitely not least, Lather Up put the finishing touches on a star-studded program by pacing to a wire-to-wire triumph handily in a sizzling 1:49.3 under wraps for driver Montrell Teague and trainer Clyde Francis as the 1-9 favourite. Owned and bred by the Harrington, DE couple of Gary and Barbara Iles, the son of Im Gorgeous grabbed season victory ten and lifetime win 14. Winner of the $1 million North America Cup earlier this season, Lather Up has $728,965 in his lifetime coffers. The hard-trying 13-1 Rockathon was second for David Miller, five and a half lengths behind the winner, while 12-1 Seeing Eye Single took home show money with Ronnie Wrenn Jr. in the bike.
From 14 starters—the most of any trainers in the Championships—trainer Brian Brown had nine horses finish in the money (one win, three seconds, two thirds, two fourths and one fifth), while conditioner Ron Burke had eight starters (three wins, two thirds and one fifth).
Manofmanymissions was the only stallion with two winners in this year’s Championships, while broodmare sire Garland Lobell also had two winners.
The Ohio Sires Stakes continue with $60,000 Championships for veteran pacers and trotters, four-year-olds and up, on October 6 at Northfield and $60,000 Consolations for two and three-year-old trotting and pacing colts and fillies on October 13 at Northfield.
(OSDF)